


Beware a Kakashi with Dangos

by MisatosPenPen



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anal Sex, M/M, Oral Sex, Rimming, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 09:23:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1852864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisatosPenPen/pseuds/MisatosPenPen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kakashi starts lusting after Itachi and it leads to much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. At the Hot Springs

**Author's Note:**

> After trying to avoid it in all my other stories about Kakashi and Itachi, I finally made Kakashi more of a pedophile.

Kakashi’s ANBU unit was returning from a mission when they came across a hot springs. They would have to stop and sleep once before they got back to the village, so they took advantage of the hot springs.   
  
Kakashi tied a towel around his face then went out to the water. He left his headband off and just kept his left eye shut. He was settling contently when the last stragglers in their unit came out. One of them was Uchiha Itachi. The boy was good looking and his long hair gave him a slightly feminine appearance. But as Itachi slipped off the towel around his waist, Kakashi couldn’t help but stare; his Sharingan eye opening of its own accord. It was the first time he’d seen the young man naked. He was gorgeous. _That’s a thirteen year old?_  
  
Kakashi already had proof that the boy had hit puberty early with his deep voice, but other than his height, it seemed Itachi was already through with puberty. Kakashi was glad he was already submersed because he was getting hard. And he’d never been turned on by a man before.   
  
When rooms were assigned, Kakashi was disappointed that he would not be sleeping in the same room as the young Uchiha. He imagined what the stoic boy would look like as he slept. His age made it taboo, but Kakashi wanted him.   
  
Once back in the village, Kakashi cornered him. “Itachi, I noticed you don’t seem to have any friends in ANBU, thought maybe you’d like to get lunch or dinner, or dangos and tea, some time.”  
  
Itachi’s eyes lit up a little at the mention of dangos. “Sure. Not tonight though, I’m expected home. Tomorrow, missions permitting?”  
  
“Yeah, see you then.”  
  
Kakashi’s heart was hammering as he walked away. _God, dangos! Like a little kid!_ For the first time he was starting to feel guilty for his feelings and intentions.


	2. Dangos, Tea, and Liniment

Neither had missions the next day. They arraigned to meet later in the day outside the Uchiha compound. Kakashi loitered near the gates. Itachi was followed by an eight year old boy that looked far too much like Itachi not to be his brother. Itachi crouched and poked his brother in the forehead and sent him back into the compound. Itachi came over to him.  
  
“Your brother?”  
  
“Yeah. He’ll be starting the academy soon.” They started walking. “When I was his age, I already mastered my Sharingan.”  
  
“I was a Chuunin.”  
  
“I didn’t make Chuunin until I was ten.”  
  
“How old are you?”  
  
“I just turned thirteen.”  
  
“It’s already rumored you’ll be made a captain soon.”  
  
“I’m the only Uchiha in ANBU. You and I are the only ones with the Sharingan, it’s my mastery of it, I’m sure.”  
  
“I’ve seen your stats; you and I are almost even. Though it’s a bit of a blow to my ego that a kid your age is better at speed and genjutsu.”  
  
“That’s my Sharingan. I’m sure we’d be even if you were born with the Sharingan. I’m surprised you adapted to it so well. I’ve seen you use it and I’ve heard about it.”  
  
“Most of your clan dislike the fact I have this eye.”  
  
“I can understand that. But it’s not like our monopoly on it’s really been broken.”  
  
Their conversation became banal after that. Itachi ate quite a few dangos while Kakashi just had tea.   
  
Halfway through, Itachi asked, “If you don’t like dangos, why’d you suggest it?”  
  
“Thought you might like them. I don’t really like anything sweet.”  
  
Itachi laughed, the first time Kakashi ever saw that. “You sound like my brother. The kid is strange, hates anything sweet. I’ve persuaded him not to make a deal of it to our parents; I get his deserts and I buy him something he likes later, onigiri with okaka or something. A good deal.”  
  
Kakashi chuckled. “I seem to remember my father trying something like before my mother died. I like the tea here though.”  
  
“They always serve good tea with dangos. If you like tea, I really like going to all the cafes and tea houses. There’s just something calming about them.”  
  
“Sounds good.”  
  
The next day, Kakashi brought a second lunch with him to the ANBU headquarters. He didn’t always bring a lunch, but he noticed Itachi almost never did.  
  
“’Tachi!” he called. He hefted the spare lunch box. “Want to join me for lunch?”  
  
“Thank you, Sempai.” They started eating. “I’m a little curious why you’ve chosen to make friends with me.”  
  
“I enjoy your company.”  
  
“But you didn’t know you would before yesterday.”  
  
“True, I guess. I don’t know,” he lied, “I guess you just looked interesting. And you must be to be in ANBU at your age.”  
  
“Nothing really interesting about me. All anyone sees is a young Uchiha prodigy and Fugaku’s oldest son.”  
  
“There’s more to you though.”  
  
“I don’t know. I’ve dedicated my life to protecting the village. I don’t really do anything else but train and work for ANBU.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t answer for a few seconds. “Neither do I.”  
  
“Kindred spirits?”  
  
“I guess so.”  
  
“Sounds like a good basis for a friendship.”  
  
\-----  
Kakashi kept his dirty thoughts hidden deep when he was around Itachi, but at night he would masturbate furiously thinking of the young Uchiha. Even as he was beginning to become friends with him, Kakashi couldn’t suppress his desire for him.   
  
It was three weeks before he decided to start trying to seduce the young man. At thirteen his hormones must be starting to get to him, it should be easy.  
  
But meeting Itachi outside the compound and seeing Sasuke following after him again reminded him how young Itachi was.  
  
How to ease into the subject?   
  
He causally asked as they drank tea, “So, do you have a girlfriend?”  
  
“Not really. My father’s chosen who I’ll marry and is hinting that I should get a head start on fathering some heirs. My father’s the leader of the clan and I’m being set up to take his place eventually. So I’ll never get to choose a lover. She’s nice enough though.”  
  
“That doesn’t seem right.”  
  
“What about you, Sempai?”  
  
“No. I—” Kakashi realized he never really thought about it before. “My female teammate, Rin, was in love with me. I wasn’t interested. Then she died. I never really thought about a relationship after that.” _Not a serious relationship,_ he thought trying not to look at Itachi as he thought that. Though he was not looking right at Itachi, he didn’t miss the shifting of Itachi’s eyes out of the corner of his own, looking Kakashi up and down in a very evaluating way. _He’s considering it!_  
  
Itachi had control of his gaze again when Kakashi looked at him again. Itachi leaned back and tried to look relaxed, but Kakashi had successfully planted the idea in his head.  
That night, Kakashi restrained himself, anticipating something much better in the next few days.  
  
\-----  
  
How to lure Itachi to his apartment? Kakashi was starting to feel like a pedophile when he thought like that. But that didn’t stop him plotting.  
  
It was the very next day. Itachi was sent on a mission and Kakashi’s heart sunk, but at least it wasn’t like he was wasting a plan; he didn’t have one.  
  
Itachi dragged in while Kakashi was training. Kakashi should have gone home by now, but he stayed around, working out sexual frustration from abstaining from masturbation.   
  
Another ANBU wondered into the gym. “You know that Uchiha kid?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“He’s finally gotten a little banged up. Kid’s been untouchable so far, but someone finally gave him a challenge.”  
  
“Is he okay?”  
  
“Just banged up. He’s showering.”  
  
Kakashi surprised himself from not being anxious to get to the showers to see Itachi naked, but out of genuine concern. He didn’t search for Itachi when he got to the showers, but showered off quickly himself. He came out and found Itachi lying on the bench, still just wrapped up in towels.  
  
“’Tachi, you okay?”  
  
“The only problem with being so fast and skilled is I never built up a constitution to take damage.”  
  
“You’ve seen a medical-nin?”  
  
“Yeah. He repaired my rib, but the rest is just bruises and knotted muscles.”  
  
“You’ll feel it all worse in the morning.”  
  
“Don’t remind me.”  
  
Kakashi looked around and seeing no one around at the moment, said, “You know, I’ve got some great liniment ointment at home. I’d be happy to give you a massage.”  
  
“Throw in some dangos and tea and that sounds like heaven.”  
  
“If you make your way slowly to my house, I’ll go pick up some dangos for you.” Kakashi was doing a little happy dance in his head.  
  
Kakashi made it home before Itachi arrived. He hoped he was okay. And coming. He really did have good liniment. He set it up on the bedside table and laid a bunch of towels on the bed (liniment was strong stuff and Kakashi didn’t want it soaking deep into his bed).  
  
Itachi knocked as he was thinking about starting the tea. Kakashi let him in. “You want to eat first? I put them in the fridge.”  
  
“I’d rather get rid of these muscle knots first.”  
  
“Not a problem.”  
  
Kakashi led him into his bedroom. Itachi didn’t seem uncomfortable walking into his bedroom or stripping down to his boxers and laying down on his stomach.  
  
“Where you hurting?”  
  
“My back, my shoulders, my thighs, my calves, my upper arms . . .”  
  
“The works then.”  
  
Kakashi started with Itachi’s muscular shoulders, trying to avoid the heretical bruises that were already turning dark on Itachi’s white flesh.  
  
“I can’t believe anyone was able to touch you.”  
  
“Fast.” Itachi’s sentences were short, the pain and pressure from the massage making it difficult to get out longer sentences. “Ended up fighting twenty shinobi. Just the three of us. Never been kicked that hard before. Never had to move that franticly before. We hurried back without stopping. I was helping support one of the others. Muscles were killing me.”  
  
Kakashi moved from his shoulders to his upper arms to his back to his calves.  
  
“The front of my thighs are what hurts.” Kakashi nudged him to turn over and he massaged the liniment into the beautiful muscles. Kakashi noted that Itachi wasn’t in the least aroused by the situation, but he let that go; he got to touch that beautiful body.  
  
Itachi dozed for a few minutes while Kakashi washed his hands of the strong liquid, took out the dangos and started the tea.  
  
Itachi wondered in as Kakashi poured the tea, wrapped in his black cloak with the Uchiha crest on the back, otherwise no more dressed than he’d been sprawled on Kakashi’s bed.  
  
“Thank you. I’m already feeling better.”  
  
“I get that liniment from Nara Shikaku. It’s the best in the village. I remember my father always using it.”  
  
“We get a salve from the Nara clan for burns. We’re known for our fire jutsu almost as much as for our Sharingan after all. I’ll pick up some of the liniment the next time I go over there. If I can ever return the favor . . .” Started on the dumplings.  
  
“I’ll let you know. If you ever need it again, I’d be happy to do it again.”  
  
Itachi blushed ever so slightly, but against his white skin it was perfectly visible to Kakashi.  
  
Kakashi pulled his mask down to take a sip of tea; Itachi found himself leaning a bit to get a peek at Kakashi’s face and tried to straighten and look casual before Kakashi could notice. Kakashi would pull it down briefly to eat or drink, but Itachi never got a good look at it. He was becoming more curious to see that Kakashi’s face really looked like.  
  
“Why do you wear that mask?”  
  
“I wanted to be a great shinobi like my father when I was very young and I always had this image of shinobi being masked. I also wanted to be a member of ANBU, but my father didn’t like that idea. I now know why. So he forbid me from wearing an ANBU style mask. He was alright with me wearing this kind. So I did. After my father’s death I sort of hid behind it. Do you know how my father died?”  
  
“My father told me he committed suicide.”  
  
“He was dishonored, fell into a deep depression and killed himself. I didn’t want to be associated with him, someone who would break the rules and die in shame. I don’t think like that anymore, but it was why I continued to wear the mask. By the time I came to terms with what my father had done, I was used to it, it had become part of me. Now I like the mystery. People are always trying to see behind the mask.”  
  
Kakashi eyed Itachi, then pulled the mask down completely. His face was beautiful. Itachi couldn’t hide his admiration.  
  
“You’re right to hide it, you’d have more women chasing you than the Fourth ever did.”  
  
“I think he was one of the few to ever see my face.”  
  
Now Kakashi was sensing those hormones he was counting on.  
  
Itachi went back to eating his dangos in silence for a minute.   
  
“He was your sensei.”  
  
“Minato was my sensei, but not for every long. After I became a jouunin, Obito died, and the war ended, Rin and I separated and Minato became Hokage.”  
  
“So your entire team is dead.”  
  
“Yeah. My family as well. My mother died when I was quite young; I barely remember her. Other than my father, I never had any family.”  
  
“And I’m downing in family. But I often feel very lonely. Really my only friend is my cousin Shiusui. I’m really only close to him and my brother.”  
  
“Shiusui is a bit older than you, isn’t he?”  
  
Itachi swallowed the last of the dangos. “He’s like my older brother. He taught me a lot about the Sharingan.” He drained his cup. “I should get home. I told Sasuke I’d be home tonight. If I don’t get home soon, he’ll worry and won’t sleep.” He retrieved his clothes and dressed quickly. “Thank you for everything, Sempai. I have tomorrow off; I’ll see you the day after.”  
  
“Goodnight.”


	3. One Step Closer

Kakashi came home tired. Cleaning up after another team was tiring and annoying. He just wanted to sleep even though it wasn’t long after sunset. He lay down on his sofa for a moment, just to regain enough strength to fix something to eat. He finally levered himself up and searched his cabinet for something fast and easy. Instant ramen. _God, how old is that?_ Kakashi groaned. He’ll just go to bed hungry.   
  
Then there was a knock at the door. _It better be someone bearing food. I even be happy if it’s Gai as long as he has something edible._  
  
It wasn’t Gai.  
  
“’Tachi?”  
  
Itachi raised a bag of take out. “Are you hungry, Sempai?”  
  
“Itachi, I love you.” Itachi blushed. “I’m starving.” He practically yanked Itachi into the house.  
  
Kakashi pulled down his mask and let his face be freely exposed in front of Itachi. He didn’t talk until the pain of his hunger was appeased and then he could slow down. Itachi didn’t say anything and looked a bit withdrawn.  
  
“Something wrong? I thought you’d be spending the day with your brother.”  
  
“I spent most of the day with him. But I just had to get out of there.”  
  
Kakashi didn’t want to pry, but he was curious; he said nothing.  
  
“My father came home and started in on me for . . . for a lot of things. I nodded, remained silent, then left before anyone could stop me. I don’t want to go back at all tonight. Though that will just make things harder tomorrow. I just need to stay away for a few hours. Thought I could bribe you to let me hang out here ‘til then.”  
  
“You don’t have to bribe me. But tonight, I would have demanded food anyway. You recover well?”  
  
“Yes, thanks to you. I’m just a little sore today.”  
  
Kakashi looked at him a little closer. Itachi was always quite and subdued, but even more so tonight. Then he saw what he was trying to hide behind the hair that was not gathered in the ponytail. A welt. Kakashi leaned forward and moved the hair out of the way, startling Itachi slightly, but he only pulled back an inch. He had a developing welt on his right cheekbone.   
  
“You didn’t have that yesterday.”  
  
Itachi looked down. “My father backhanded me when I talked back to him. I told him I wasn’t a child for him to order me around anymore. I’m in ANBU, doesn’t that count for something? But he told me I was a child and an Uchiha, not to mention, his son, and I will do everything he tells me. At least Sasuke didn’t hear or see that. I said ‘yes, sir’ with as much sarcasm as I could, went outside and jumped to my window. I got my wallet and stuff, told Sasuke I wouldn’t be home until very late and he shouldn’t wait up for me, and left.”  
  
Kakashi got up, dug out some ice, bundled it in a towel, and gently placed it against Itachi’s cheek.  
  
“Thank you. Do you think I’m still a child?”  
  
“I have to keep reminding myself you’re only thirteen. I guess, no. But you are only thirteen. Was this the first time he hit you?”  
  
“No. But it’s only started recently. I’m getting sick of him telling me what to do. He expects too much of me. He thinks of me as a child he can order around, but then he expects more from me than he should a child. I wish I could run away. I thought joining ANBU would free me of his influence, just a little. He doesn’t give me a choice.”  
  
“Well he is the leader of your clan. Really it’s no different than just being a shinobi: we’re assigned missions and we complete them. You can reject to do the mission, like my father, but look how that ended.”  
  
Itachi looked up at him. “But your father preserved the lives of his comrades. At least that’s something.”  
  
“Rightly or wrongly, he was blamed for later losses. And then he killed himself. I was left alone. If that were to happen to you, think of your brother.”  
  
“You’re forgetting; any day we can be killed on a mission. But you’re right. You know what my main goal in surviving is? Protecting Sasuke from father’s expectations.”  
  
Kakashi finished his meal. “Is it the marriage thing? Or has he also decided you’ll head he Police like him? Got your whole life planned out?”  
  
“Something like that. He also wants me to do missions for the clan in addition to my ANBU missions. It’s impossible.” He toyed with the last pieces of food in the box. Kakashi had never seen Itachi’s emotions so close to the surface. “My mother saw all that though. She knows there’s nothing she can do. She objects to what my father’s doing to me, but she can’t do anything. My cousin thinks I’m being a brat about it. I can’t talk to Sasuke, he doesn’t understand, and I don’t want him to understand.”  
  
Kakashi leaned forward, pulled the ice pack from Itachi’s cheek, then pulled Itachi forward. Itachi let out all the emotions he’d been holding in for months now. Kakashi kept one reassuring arm around his back while the other hand caressed and gently mused his hair, eventually working out the band that held the ponytail.  
  
Kakashi was made fully aware of how young Itachi was, but at the same time, he wanted to possess him more and more. It wasn’t just lust anymore; he was falling in love with the little raven. Maybe it was the fact he was falling in love with him that prevented him from taking advantage of Itachi’s venerability now.  
  
Itachi calmed, but he didn’t pull away. He felt safe and somehow like he could cry on Kakashi’s shoulder without him thinking less of him. His mother had held him like this, but never his father. Always stern and distant when it came to affection. Kakashi’s embrace was comforting.   
  
“You can always come here when you need to. Even if I’m not here, you can hang out for a while.”  
  
“Thank you, Sempai.”   
  
He pulled back and Kakashi put the ice pack back in place. “Want to get rid of that as quickly as possible.”  
  
“I think you’re the only one who would recognize that I got this after yesterday’s mission. See you tomorrow.”


	4. Consequences of a Broken Hair Tie

But he didn’t see Itachi the next day. Or the next. Kakashi was worried about him. He asked around, trying to sound unconcerned, merely curious, but no one knew anything about where he was. And there was no way he was going to the Uchiha compound. He remembered that Itachi mentioned doing missions for his clan as well as for ANBU; he was probably doing that. It disturbed him that no one else was concerned by his absence. He fell asleep the second day worried about the little Uchiha.  
  
He woke up a few hours later hearing something in his home. The thought of a thief breaking into a shinobi’s home didn’t occur to him; he was sure what the noise was. Dressed in only boxers, he went out into the kitchen, using his Sharingan to see in the dark. He wasn’t the only one. Itachi was cleaning a dish in the dark. Itachi whirled around when he sensed him.  
  
“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you,” Itachi said.  
  
“I’m glad you did, I was worried about you. Family matters?”  
  
“Yeah. I would have come over earlier, but Sasuke wouldn’t let me go when I put him to bed, then I lost track of time playing with him. Mother finally came in and forced him to try to go to sleep. Father doesn’t like how much time I spend with Sasuke, says I take too much pleasure in childish things. Git.”  
  
The last word made Kakashi laugh and Itachi laughed when he did.   
  
“I’m going back to bed. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. You look tired. My bed’s big enough if you want to share it.”  
  
Kakashi actually wasn’t thinking of sex—well he was, but not tonight, he really did want to get back to sleep.  
  
“Alright.”  
  
Kakashi inwardly smiled, but he looked stoic as he led Itachi back to his bedroom. Kakashi lay right down, turned away from the young man and went right back to sleep.  
  
Kakashi woke the next morning a little before dawn to squirming in his arms. Itachi was trying to extricate himself without waking Kakashi. Kakashi pulled away and released the boy.  
  
“Sorry about that.”  
  
“It’s fine. It was quite nice actually. I’ve got to get home and get my armor and stuff. Thanks for letting me stay.”  
  
“You’re always welcome.”  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
\-----  
  
So he got Itachi to completely trust him, got Itachi somewhat comfortable being in his bed, was even able—though unconscious at the time—to spoon the young man; things were going well. He realized he was thinking more along the lines of wooing the boy than just trying to get him into bed. That made him feel better. Until he realized he was really falling in love with the boy. It was one thing to lust after the boy, another to fall completely in love with him.  
  
Among their fellows in ANBU, neither acted any closer or affectionate to each other since the beginning, no more than having lunch together. But outside, Itachi was spending more time with Kakashi, mostly going to cafés or Itachi coming over to Kakashi’s in the evening or at night. Often they would just do maintenance of their weapons and armor while talking. Sometimes Itachi would sleep next to Kakashi. Kakashi started consciously putting his arms around Itachi at night and the boy would snuggle back against him. Kakashi couldn’t help smiling at that.  
  
Kakashi hesitated in making his move on the boy, afraid to lose him. But he was snuggling back into his arms at night like a lover. He wondered if Itachi understood what he was doing.  
  
After another evening of weapons cleaning, Kakashi stopped Itachi before he left. He gave him a small box.  
  
“What’s this?”  
  
“For your brother. Onigiri with okaka. I was shopping, saw them, and remembered you said your brother loved them.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
Really it had occurred to Kakashi than he’d never given Itachi a gift. They were definitely friends, so he thought it was strange. But he knew just how much Itachi loved his little brother and thought a gift for the kid would curry more favor with his brother than a gift for him. From the look in Itachi’s eyes, he was right.  
  
“I’m going to take credit for it though,” Itachi said with a smile.  
  
“He doesn’t know who I am anyway.”  
  
“Yeah, I don’t talk about anything about the outside world with my brother. He wouldn’t know I was in ANBU if I could help it. Thanks.”  
  
\-----  
  
There was something different about Itachi the next evening. His hair was down and tucked behind his ears, giving a clear and framed view of his beautiful young face. When Kakashi had mused his hair down, Itachi had regathered it before Kakashi could really admire him. With is hair down, he looked more feminine, but no less regal.   
  
“I’ve never see you with your hair down,” Kakashi said as he poured tea.  
  
“The band broke.” Itachi took a long sip. Kakashi watched that flawless throat as he swallowed.   
  
“It looks good.”  
  
“Get’s in the way, that’s why I never let it down.”  
  
“Never?”  
  
“Only when I shower and sometimes when I sleep.”   
  
Kakashi’s mind was suddenly filled with images of long black hair fanning his pillow. Come to think about it, when Itachi did share his bed, his hair was up. As it was at the hot springs. The silken hair never looked so inviting. Kakashi wanted to bury his face in it and inhale Itachi’s scent, he wanted to see it plastered to Itachi’s face with sweat, his face contorted with pleasure.   
  
“Then why do you keep it long? You leave your bangs long.”  
  
“I just like the way it looks. Sasuke used to pull at it when he was younger. Still does sometimes, it’s usually affectionate, but he also does it when he’s mad at me.”  
  
Mention of his little brother cooled Kakashi off a little. But then he thought about pulling at that hair in bed. He was already aroused, but now he positively hard.   
  
“I can’t imagine why he’d ever be mad at a brother as loving as you.”  
  
Itachi blushed a little. “I don’t have the time to play with him like I used to. Unfortunately, it’s become customary for me to poke him in the forehead and tell him ‘Some other time.’”  
  
“You should spend the time with me with him.”  
  
Itachi smiled at him. “If I were to go home, I couldn’t spend the time with him. Of course, if he wasn’t going to start the academy soon and if mother wouldn’t be furious about it, I’d let him stay up late at night with me, make paper shuriken, teach him how to throw them, just let him talk.”  
  
“Well, you look beautiful with your hair down.”  
  
Itachi’s blush deepened and he couldn’t look at Kakashi.   
  
The coy attitude was too much, especially with the long hair hanging like a curtain over part of his face, making him seem more coy and feminine. Kakashi had stopped wearing his mask when he and Itachi were alone in his house, so his mouth was free when he leaned forward and grabbed the back of Itachi’s head gently, though quickly, and pulled him forward. Itachi was surprised but did not resist. The boy’s lips tasted of jasmine tea. The inexperienced boy did not kiss back, but he wasn’t pulling away either. Kakashi sucked at his lower lip then nudged his tongue against Itachi’s closed lips. Itachi relented quickly and let Kakashi in.   
  
Kakashi caressed the nape of Itachi’s neck. Itachi was melting into him. Kakashi smiled inwardly. He used his hold on Itachi’s neck to urge him to stand when he did. He did not let him go while he guided him to his bed room. He finally took his lips away to lay Itachi down on his bed, but he was quickly back on him.   
  
He kissed down to the boy’s neck and could feel his rapid pulse. Kakashi sucked at the throbbing artery. He felt down Itachi’s clothed body and felt the hard muscle underneath. He reached the hem of Itachi’s shirt and slid his hand under it to feel that soft smooth skin he’d been dreaming about for weeks.   
  
Kakashi carefully stripped off Itachi’s shirt with little help and no hindrance from Itachi. Kakashi shifted his attention to the brown nipples that stood out so clearly against his pale skin. He worked off his own clothes as he pleasured Itachi.  
  
It concerned him slightly that Itachi hadn’t made a sound, but he reached down and felt how hard Itachi was. He rubbed Itachi’s erection through his pants as he trailed his lips down his lean stomach. Kakashi pulled Itachi’s pants down and off. He barely hesitated to look at him before he was taking the head of Itachi’s cock into his mouth. Finally, Itachi moaned.   
  
Kakashi sucked gently at just the head, lapped at the slit, then stabbed at it with the tip of his tongue. Itachi tried to stifle another moan, but mostly failed. Kakashi slid his lips further down the hard shaft he had first admired seemingly so long ago at the hot spring. His rough tongue slithered down the underside of the throbbing length.   
  
He continued to suck until the head hit the back of his throat. Kakashi forced away his gag reflex and took Itachi’s length in deeper. His throat tightened convulsively around the intruding flesh and Itachi moaned again. He was focusing so much on breathing that Kakashi didn’t realize he had taken Itachi’s entire considerable length until he found his nose pressed into unusually smooth black hair.   
  
Kakashi quickly became accustomed to deepthroating the younger man and began bobbing up and down his entire length. Kakashi looked up at him. Itachi’s eyes were tightly shut; his face was turned to one side and contorted in pleasure and in an effort not to moan. He was fisting his own long hair with one hand while his other hand gripped the pillow near his mouth. He was beautiful.   
  
Kakashi finally had Itachi moaning freely. He disengaged and climbed up Itachi’s body to grabbed the lube he normally left there for when he was fantasizing about just want he was about to do. He went back to sucking Itachi’s cock as he uncapped the lube and spread it on his fingers.   
  
His slick fingers sought out Itachi’s virgin entrance. Itachi did the first thing of his own volition which encouraged Kakashi even more: Itachi spread is legs a little further and bent his left leg to give Kakashi better access. Kakashi smiled around the shaft in his mouth and pressed the first finger in.   
  
Itachi squirmed briefly but made no sound of protest. Kakashi took the ease of stretching Itachi as a sign of his eagerness, though he wondered briefly if Itachi was indeed a virgin. He met real resistance at the third finger, but Itachi wasn’t trying to push him out.   
  
Kakashi lubed himself up, adding a few extra strokes before he could stop himself and crawled up the prone, panting body presented to him. He kissed the boy and this time Itachi kissed back hesitantly. Kakashi raised Itachi’s hips for the proper angle and entered him slowly. Any doubts of Itachi’s virginity were erased from his mind at the tightness. Itachi’s lips stilled as did his breath. Kakashi froze with just the head inside him and waited for Itachi to take another breath.   
  
At last, Kakashi felt Itachi’s breath caress his face. He started breathing again, a little strained, but he was breathing. Kakashi eased further into Itachi’s body. Itachi spasmed when Kakashi brushed his prostate. When his muscles released, his throat released a heavy sigh. His body tensed as Kakashi’s length ventured further in and continued to caress the virgin bundle of nerves.   
  
Finally, their hips met. Kakashi sucked at Itachi’s exposed throat as Itachi grew accustomed to the intrusion.   
  
“You feel like heaven, Itachi,” Kakashi whispered right next to his ear. Itachi didn’t respond in any way but to shiver. Then his body loosened. Kakashi pulled out slowly. He stopped when Itachi tightened up around him. He dragged himself out again after a few moments. Itachi groaned at the impending lose, but Kakashi didn’t pull all the way out. He eased back in, hitting Itachi’s prostate again. Itachi arched up into him this time with a gasp. Kakashi picked up a rhythm.  
  
Itachi fisted the sheets desperately and finally spoke; a needy sigh, “Sempai.”  
  
Kakashi had to use all his control to not cum at the needy sound of Itachi’s voice. He took his hand with already slicked fingers and began jerking Itachi off. It didn’t take long for Itachi to cum on his own stomach. Itachi gasped and his body jerked and convulsed with a powerful orgasm. Kakashi could hold back no longer. He deposited rope after rope of cum into Itachi’s body. His lower body collapsed on top of Itachi, but he strained his arms to keep him from crushing the boy. His deflated cock slipped from Itachi’s body. Kakashi sloppily kissed Itachi’s neck, Itachi’s head had turned to the side again. He finally rolled off Itachi and pulled him into him, spooning him as they both fell asleep.


	5. Morning After

Kakashi woke up to an empty bed. He slowly realized he shouldn’t have been alone. Itachi was gone. The night replayed itself in his head and he started to feel regret. He never actually asked Itachi if he wanted it. He had known that what he wanted was wrong, but he had never intended to rape the kid. Worry and regret pooled in his stomach.   
  
There was an insistent knocking at his door. Had Itachi told his father? Was it Fugaku coming to arrest him? No, he wouldn’t arrest him. Fugaku would torture and kill him. Kakashi reluctantly went to the door, pulling a robe around his nude body as he went. He raised the collar of the robe over his lower face and opened the door. ANBU. Shit, he was in trouble. Itachi told the Hokage. He was fucked.  
  
“Kakashi-san, the Hokage has a mission for you.” And the masked ANBU was gone.  
  
Kakashi shut the door and nearly collapsed in relief. At least Itachi hadn’t turned him in. Yet.   
  
Kakashi got dressed and rushed to the Hokage tower, determined to get out of the village before Fugaku and the entire police department and a very large, very powerful clan started hunting him down.  
  
He opened the door at a summons. There was another ANBU standing there. The other man’s height and ponytail told him exactly who the other masked man was. Itachi. Kakashi came up to stand next to the boy. Itachi glanced over and saw the white hair. He straightened up.  
  
Kakashi focused on the mission description, but he was distracted by Itachi’s presence. A mission with Itachi. This could not get more awkward. Even if Fugaku were to come with them.  
  
They were off within minutes. They raced through the trees without a word or any other acknowledgment of the other. Kakashi let Itachi take point. He watched the way Itachi moved; he didn’t seem to be in pain.   
  
Finally, they stopped for lunch. They sat opposite each other, but they didn’t speak. Kakashi could tell Itachi activated his Sharingan and scanned the area, looking for anyone around them. Satisfied they were alone, Itachi turned his mask so it covered his ear, revealing his face and freeing him to eat. Kakashi stared at his impassive face for a few seconds before moving his own mask. He hesitantly pulled down his other mask. He wouldn’t look at Itachi once he did that.  
  
“If you don’t want to talk about it during a mission, I can understand that,” Itachi said.  
  
“I’m sorry, Itachi; I shouldn’t have done that.”  
  
“I wasn’t resisting.”  
  
“You’re okay with what I did?”  
  
“I may be young, but I certainly wouldn’t let anyone do that to me unless it was what I wanted.”  
  
Kakashi cocked his head agreeingly; Itachi certainly could have put him in a genjutsu that would make him throw himself off the Hokage monument gleefully.   
  
“I am sorry that I left without saying anything,” Itachi continued. “I needed to get home, shower, and pick up my ANBU gear. I didn’t want to wake you.”  
  
“I was scared that you ran off to tell your father. I thought it was him knocking at my door this morning.”  
  
“He wouldn’t have knocked,” Itachi said with a smile.  
  
“I guess not. I should have said it last night, I love you, Itachi.”  
  
“I love you, sempai.”  
  
“We probably should keep our minds on the mission from here on out. We’ll talk when we get home.”  
  
“Ah.” They finished eating and continued on their way.  
  
But it was difficult. Kakashi was far more concerned about Itachi’s welfare than his own or completing the mission. It went off without a hitch despite the complexity and purported difficulty of the mission. Two Sharingans was overkill in almost any situation. Kakashi’s Chidori was also something to consider. But they made it home with no more than a bruise or two.  
  
They didn’t talk when they got back. After reporting to the Hokage, they both went back to Kakashi’s home. Itachi wasn’t as shy and reserved this time. Forgoing any food or talk, the pair were clawing at each other’s clothes and kissing almost violently.   
  
Naked, Itachi fell back onto the bed, pulling Kakashi onto him and Kakashi obliged him. Kakashi sucked on his erection as he prepared Itachi again. His body was more receptive this time, accepting his fingers much more easily. Itachi raised up his hips to get more of Kakashi’s long, thin, calloused fingers inside of him. Kakashi pulled his mouth away and kissed the base of Itachi’s cock and openmouthed kissed the underside. He sucked at the head, his lips closing to rub the entire head with his lips then pressing down again, letting the head force his lips open again. All the time, he was stretching him.   
  
“Hurry,” Itachi moaned.   
  
Kakashi lubed up. He lifted Itachi’s knee up so that his leg bent and he pushed it to the side to give Kakashi enough room. He pressed in gently. Itachi winced at the sting, but he didn’t stop him.   
  
Kakashi saw that Itachi was suppressing sounds of pleasure again. “I want to hear you, love,” Kakashi said breathlessly. “I want to hear the pleasure I’m giving you.” Itachi breathed out a heavy sigh and groaned when Kakashi gave another thrust. “You feel so good, Itachi,” Kakashi said against the young man’s throat. “So hot and tight.” Itachi gasped, he didn’t know just how good Kakashi’s words alone could make him feel. “I love you.”  
  
Kakashi took Itachi’s erection in his hand and started massaging it.   
  
“No, Ka . . . I’m . . .”  
  
“Doesn’t matter,” Kakashi said. “Don’t hold back. Cum for me, baby.”  
  
Itachi nearly wailed when he cam. Kakashi didn’t stop moving. “I’m going to cum inside you, make you mine.”  
  
“Hai,” Itachi said.  
  
Kakashi finally cam inside Itachi’s now drained body. He put a hand to Itachi’s cheek and made him look at him. He was beautiful with strands of hair sticking to his gleaming face with a blush of exertion and embarrassment and his eyes glassy with pleasure.   
  
“I love you.”  
  
Keeping eye contact to make sure Itachi watched, Kakashi moved down to lap up Itachi’s cum. Having a mouthful of cum, Kakashi cam up and kissed Itachi, pushing the cum into his mouth. Itachi let him.   
  
“How’s it taste?” Kakashi whispered against his lips.   
  
“I like it.”  
  
“You’re so beautiful. It’s taken all my willpower to resist you until now.”  
  
“I wanted you too. I love you, sempai.”  
  
“I love you. I wanted you for months.” Kakashi started sucking at Itachi’s neck, waiting for them both to lose the extra sensitivity before starting again. He moved from Itachi’s neck to his nipple. Itachi groaned.  
  
“Again,” Itachi sighed. “Take me again.”  
  
Kakashi smiled against the lean muscle of Itachi’s peck. He only needed a few jerks to get hard enough to oblige his little lover. Kakashi leaned back and grabbed Itachi’s thighs and pressed them both up to Itachi’s abdomen and, being to flexible, pressed them all the way down. Kakashi smirked at just how limber his new lover was. Like this he was able to fill Itachi even deeper. He knew he located Itachi’s prostate when Itachi grunted. Assaulting that spot made Itachi’s grunt turn into a litany of moans, gasps, and unintelligible sounds of pleasure. Kakashi didn’t let up until Itachi lost it again.   
  
Kakashi scooped up the cum from his stomach and pressed his fingers against Itachi’s parted lips. Itachi sucked in his fingers. Kakashi gave the currently sated young man’s prostate a rest and switched angles and continued to fuck him while he sucked on his cum covered fingers.  
  
Itachi experimented with tightening his muscles to see if it would give his lover more pleasure. He was rewarded with a moan.   
  
“Damn, Itachi, that feels good.”  
  
Kakashi cam again. But the activity was already bringing Itachi back to life; Kakashi felt it as he leaned over him. “Insatiable little imp,” Kakashi said fondly. “Turn over.”  
  
Itachi obeyed, getting on his knees and elbows. Kakashi lapped at the smooth skin of his ass and pressed his finger into his well used hole. He rubbed his wet, slick insides as he caressed his skin with his lips. He moved his mouth to his scrotum. It took a little longer for him to get hard enough, but he enjoyed fingering the squirming Uchiha.   
  
Kakashi pressed into him again, this time able to enter him fully, his scrotum pressed against Itachi’s. Having cum twice already, they lasted much longer this time. Kakashi lay over his back groped Itachi’s thin body, cupping his balls, stroking his cock, tweaking his nipples, running his hands down his chest and abdomen in a possessive way, taking his thin neck in his large hand and gently massaging it, caressing his face, and then just hugging him close.  
  
They cam together in a chorus of gasps and moans. Kakashi lay beside his exhausted lover who collapsed. Kakashi pulled the limp, panting body to him. They were both as comfortable as cats nestled against each other. They were wonderfully content in the silence until Itachi’s stomach growled. Kakashi laughed.   
  
“I don’t think I have anything non-perishable except rice,” he said.  
  
“Is it late?”  
  
“There’s always the 24 hour market.”  
  
“I just want to stay here like this.”  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I love you.”


	6. Last Night

Itachi was too young for Kakashi to feel comfortable being seen with in public. The last thing he needed was to be seen by Fugaku; his life would really be over. They didn’t see much of each other at night either, just when Itachi just got back from a mission and his parents didn’t exactly know when he was supposed to be home and when he fought with his father. Kakashi thought the thirteen year old was a little young to be going through the ‘I hate my father’ stage, but he was in ANBU and probably believed he was due more freedom and respect than Fugaku was giving him.  
  
And the nights they spent together wasn’t always about sex. Kakashi just loved to watch Itachi. His movements were graceful, languid, and regal. Itachi figured out quiet quickly that Kakashi liked to watch him, so he indulged his lover by doing whatever he could in his house: mending their armor, tending their weapons, even cleaning the house and cooking—which he was surprisingly good at since he used his Sharingan to mimic his mother. He loved the way Kakashi looked at him. Itachi often gave him a coy smile, acutely aware of what Kakashi was thinking most of the time. He was imagining Itachi arching back in ecstasy, crying out as Kakashi pleasured him.   
  
Tonight, Itachi came over earlier than usual, in late afternoon. Itachi was hugging himself and seemed caught between the desire to cry and the desire to scream. Kakashi rubbed the boy’s back when he stopped next to the chair Kakashi was sitting in. He didn’t say anything; if Itachi wanted to talk about what was bothering him he would just do it. Itachi turned into Kakashi, standing between his legs and pulling Kakashi’s head to his chest, Kakashi putting his arm firmly around his waist and continuing to rub his back.   
  
“I wish I could move out,” Itachi said.  
  
“You’re a member of ANBU, I’d think you’d have that freedom.”  
  
“I don’t,” Itachi said simply.   
  
“You’re always welcome here.”  
  
“I don’t want my father to get suspicious.”   
  
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be good.”  
  
Itachi smiled. “I love you.”  
  
“Staying tonight?”  
  
“No, I can’t. My father’s probably looking for me; I don’t want him to find me here. I’ll go hang out in ANBU headquarters. I just needed to come here, at least for a moment. See you.”  
  
\-----  
  
Kakashi didn’t see Itachi for a few days, not even around ANBU headquarters. Kakashi grew concerned, but he knew better than to try and spy on the Uchiha compound, even ANBU couldn’t do that without being caught. He stayed home as much as possible in case Itachi showed up.   
  
Four days and Itachi didn’t show up. Kakashi was on the verge of panic. Even other members of ANBU started to note ‘the Uchiha kid’ was missing.   
  
Finally, Itachi showed up at his house. He looked tired. Kakashi embraced him, relieved to see him alive and in one piece.   
  
“I’ve been so worried about you.”  
  
“I . . . I’ve been busy. I shouldn’t be here. But I had to see you. I had to get away.”  
  
“Is something wrong?”  
  
Itachi didn’t answer for a while. “No. Everything is as it should be.” That was cryptic. “I just want to sleep.”  
  
“That’s fine, I’m just glad you’re okay.”  
  
Itachi smiled, but it was weak. “I don’t talk in my sleep, do I?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Good. I haven’t slept much.”  
  
They went to bed. Itachi lay in Kakashi’s arms snuggling back into him so there was no room at all between them.   
  
“I love you, Itachi. I’ll do anything for you.”  
  
“I love you. But there’s nothing you can do.”  
  
Kakashi held him tightly. He wanted to help his young lover, but Itachi wouldn’t, or couldn’t, tell him what was wrong, there was nothing he could do.  
  
\-----  
  
Another two days without seeing Itachi, but he came to see him on the third. Itachi came through the bedroom window and immediately kissed Kakashi passionately. No words were spoken, but they stripped and Kakashi made love to him.   
  
Itachi was needy and demanding. He clutched Kakashi’s hair and dictated where his older lover kissed and licked at his body. Kakashi was more than willing to oblige his little lover. He started at Itachi’s thin throat, licking at the throbbing vein and stretched tendon.   
  
Kakashi slipped a hand between Itachi’s legs and fondled him as his lips slid to Itachi’s chest and his sensitive nipples. At Itachi’s sighs, Kakashi hesitated there and tongued and sucked on the nubs until Itachi buck up into his hand. He licked down those perfect abs, dipped his tongue into his navel, then trailed his lips down on of his ‘come fuck me’ lines to Itachi’s weeping erection.   
  
Kakashi licked the drop of precum from the head and took the head into his mouth. He lavished it with attention. He moved slowly down from there, deepthroating him. Kakashi seemed to have put a summoning seal on the lube because it was suddenly there and Kakashi was preparing him.   
  
Itachi wanted to be fucked so badly, but he didn’t beg, did nothing by sigh and enjoy the blowjob and fingering. He immediately missed Kakashi’s warm mouth when it was taken away. Itachi opened his eyes and stared into Kakashi’s as Kakashi moved in to enter him. Itachi’s insides squirmed and he felt as nervous as a virgin.   
  
Kakashi eased in and Itachi was so tight. “Relax.” Itachi tried, but he remained unusually tight. Kakashi rubbed his stomach, feeling that all his muscles were tense. “We don’t have to do this, Itachi. You’re far too tense.”  
  
“I want it, sempai.”  
  
Kakashi pulled out of him and leaned down to kiss him. “I wish you could tell me what’s wrong, but I understand you can’t. Just relax, baby, relax. I’d be happy just to hold you if you want. It’s not about sex, Itachi, I love you. Let me just suck you off and stay with me tonight.”  
  
“I’ll stay, but I really need it.”  
  
“Maybe an orgasm will relax you,” Kakashi said with a soft smile.  
  
Kakashi went down on his young lover, sucking him to orgasm. Kakashi swallowed his load and came back up, prepared to make love to his distraught little lover.  
  
“Feel a little better,” Kakashi asked.  
  
“Yes,” Itachi gasped. “I need to feel you.”  
  
Kakashi tried entering him again and this time he wasn’t painfully tight. Once all the way inside his moaning lover, Kakashi bent down over him and kissed his as he rocked into his body. Itachi held him close as if afraid to lose him. His body clung to him as well, tightening around his length as if trying to pull him in deeper. Kakashi ran his lands down the raven’s body, feeling his ill-hidden ribs, his smooth side, and the hallow of his hips. He brought up his other hand to feel those smooth black locks, loving the contrast between Itachi’s hot body and his cold, silken hair.  
  
Itachi maneuvered his hips a little so that Kakashi was striking his prostate and he cried out into Kakashi’s mouth. He had to rip his lips away to breathe. Kakashi turn his attention to his neck. He’d always been careful about marking him, though a few marks had tended to appear, but tonight he decided ‘fuck it.’ Kakashi bite down into Itachi’s neck and the young man cam, pulling Kakashi over the precipice with him. They didn’t uncoil themselves for nearly a minute, Kakashi’s deflating length still buried in Itachi’s heat.  
  
Once Itachi regained his breath, he turned Kakashi over and cleaned the soiled lube from Kakashi’s length and then took it into his mouth, giving him the best blow job of Kakashi’s life. He looked down to watch Itachi’s hollow cheeks and his lips tight around his cock. Itachi looked up briefly. Kakashi didn’t like the sad look to them, but then Itachi closed his eyes and concentrated on the job at hand.   
  
After Kakashi cam, Itachi crawled into his arms with his face against Kakashi’s chest. Kakashi nuzzled the top of his lover’s hair.   
  
“I love you so much, Kakashi.”  
  
“You’re the only person I love, Itachi. I’ll love you forever.”  
  
Itachi tucked his head in more and didn’t answer.  
  
\-----  
  
When a figure appeared on Kakashi’s windowsill two nights later, he thought it was Itachi at first, but the ANBU just said, “Report in,” and he was gone.  
  
Kakashi dressed and was at ANBU headquarters in record time. There was a large group of them, but they were waiting for a few more. He looked around for Itachi, but he didn’t see him, but he saw every other familiar mask. Two more showed up and the Hokage appeared. Kakashi became worried; these last two were not Itachi. The fact they were all called here by the Hokage didn’t worry him as much as that fact.  
  
“There was an incident earlier this evening at the Uchiha compound,” the Hokage began. Kakashi’s ears perked up. “All but two members of the Uchiha clan have been murdered.”  
  
A chill was not the proper word for the feeling that ran down Kakashi’s back. He felt lightheaded. _Oh, god, please no. Not Itachi._ Around him a few people started whispering. The Hokage waved to quiet them.  
  
“We only found one survivor—”  
  
 _Itachi, please let it be Itachi. Itachi fought him, he fought the murderer. He’s alive. He’s alive._  
  
“Uchiha Sasuke, Fugaku’s youngest son.”  
  
Kakashi’s heart sank and that ‘chill’ assaulted him again, as did lightheadedness. He tried not to faint. _One survivor. Not Itachi. But didn’t he say all but ‘two’ Uchiha were murdered?_  
  
“Who could slaughter the Uchiha?” someone near Kakashi asked.  
  
The Hokage lowered his head before he spoke. “Uchiha Itachi. He’s the only other living member of clan.”  
  
Kakashi really thought he would faint. Itachi killed them? Itachi . . . is alive. But he killed everyone? Everyone but Sasuke. Everyone but his beloved little brother. He realized he stopped breathing and took a shaky breath.   
  
“Itachi has left the village,” the Hokage continued. “He is a missing-nin and an S-class criminal. Capture or kill.”  
  
Kakashi wanted to vomit. Itachi? His kind, young lover? Kill him? No, he had to be innocent. _He left because he knew they would suspect him. He saved his brother. Sasuke will tell us the truth. It wasn’t Itachi._  
  
Kakashi cleared his throat and tried not to sound affected. “What is Uchiha Sasuke’s condition?”  
  
“Unconscious,” the Hokage said. “He was found in the street. He’s in the hospital now.”  
  
 _Sasuke will clear this all up when he wakes up. It couldn’t have been Itachi._  
  
“If there are no other survivors, how do we know it was Itachi?” someone asked.  
  
“Itachi had no reason to be missing and very few could kill an entire clan in such a short time, especially the Uchiha. We’re certain it was Itachi. We’ll no doubt learn more from his brother when he wakes up.”  
  
 _Yes, you will. You’ll see you’re wrong. Itachi’s innocent. Itachi will come home._  
  
But Itachi had been acting strangely. Itachi knew something was coming. Could Itachi have been kidnapped? Like the Hyuuga girl not long ago? Kidnapped for his Sharingan?   
  
They were dismissed and people started filtering out, but Kakashi pressed further into the room.  
  
“Lord Hokage, could Itachi have been taken? How can you be certain Itachi did this?”  
  
“You knew him?”  
  
“I did. I do. I can’t believe Itachi would do something like this.”  
  
“There was other evidence. We’re certain it was Itachi.” His tone cut off any response. Kakashi nodded and accepted his dismissal.   
  
He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t do anything. Waiting. Waiting for word from Itachi. Waiting for word about Sasuke. There was nothing he could do. Finally, he heard Sasuke had woken up. He rushed to headquarters and read the interview. It was Itachi. Without a doubt in Sasuke’s mind, it was Itachi. He all but saw him do it. Itachi confessed. Itachi had done it.  
  
Kakashi rushed to the bathroom and vomited up acid having not eaten in a while. Itachi was gone. His lover was dead. 


	7. A Meeting in the Forest

Kakashi’s ANBU unit was resting on their way home when a bird arrived with a message. The seven of them relaxed by themselves while their captain read the message.  
  
It was a little over a year since Itachi slaughtered his clan and disappeared. Kakashi figured Itachi must be fifteen by now. He still thought about Itachi far more often than was healthy considering he would never see him again. Itachi’s face aged in his mind, becoming sharper, thinner, and even more beautiful. He suppressed a groan thinking of that face contorted in pleasure. He rubbed his scalp, trying to will away the image; now was not the time.  
  
“Uchiha Itachi’s been sighted in this area, we’re being sent to investigate.”  
  
 _Oh, god, no._ Kakashi was in hell. Luckily the ANBU mask hid his expression.   
  
They came upon Itachi in thick trees. He knew they were coming. They could sense a presence, but he was nowhere to be seen. Daylight did not directly penetrate the trees, but there was still adequate light to see. No one saw what hit the man on their right flank. He fell, his life saved by his quick thinking fellow who dove after him.   
  
Kakashi was tense. He knew Itachi’s methods well, but he didn’t know him to pick people off like this. But there was some of his slightly perverse sense of humor in it. He’s toying with them. _He’s grown very confident,_ Kakashi thought.   
  
They all stood absolutely still in the silence. The captain gave a hand single to fan out. As Kakashi landed on another branch, he saw him. Itachi was beautiful. His face was thin and sharp and his eyelashes were just as pronounced hiding his eyes. His long hair was still gathered in a ponytail that mysteriously did not whip around as he moved. He was wearing a black cloak with red clouds. Kakashi did not recognize the symbol and thought it was not Itachi’s style. But how much did he really know about him in the end? The boy he knew would not have . . .  
  
Itachi seemed to move like water or a breeze. He moved out from behind a tree, his body seemingly clinging to the bark, like a snake coiling around the tree. He leapt up and kicked at the captain who was caught unaware. In midair, Itachi launched three kunai to his left, two were deflected, one broke one ANBU’s mask and grazed his neck. Itachi vanished as soon as the captain fell.  
  
The captain was able to attach himself to the tree with his chakra as he fell. Everyone was back up on the branches looking around for their target. One of the ANBU turned toward the others a little stiffly. He took out three kunai. Itachi always used three kunai at once.  
  
“Move!” Kakashi called. The three kunai stuck in the wood where the captain and two others had been standing. This ANBU, obvious under Itachi’s control, crouched elegantly as Itachi would, but wasn’t trying to hide, tempting them to attack one of their own. The way he held his hand behind his back at his belt, ready to pull the weapons he wore there, was so painfully Itachi, that Kakashi froze up completely.  
  
They all focused on the controlled ANBU, waiting for him to attack. Two of them heard something in the leaves behind them, just above them. They turned and saw just eyes staring back through the leaves. The further ANBU shouted, the closer one collapsed. A dozen weapons flew through the bunch of leaves, but they either flew right on through or imbedded into the wood. No blood. Itachi was already gone.  
  
The shout brought Kakashi out of his shock. It was like being in a haunted house, being surrounded by ghosts. Ghosts that could possess them.   
  
The controlled ANBU flung out another trio of kunai. Two hit one man in the back on either side of his spine, between it and each shoulder blade. He went down.  
  
The captain realized what Kakashi already knew, “He’s toying with us.”  
  
Something black flew down toward the ground. They all followed except for the man who had collapsed, the wounded man, and the one under control, the latter being momentarily forgotten in their zeal to catch Itachi.   
  
As the five of them darted downward, one was hit by another barrage, this time of shuriken, from above and other was kicked out of the air from the side. The captain stopped himself on a tree and reversed his course, back up to the man under Itachi’s control. He hit him hard with a fist full of chakra to knock him out of the genjutsu. He came to his senses and followed his captain back to the ground where they believed Itachi was now.   
  
The two hit in the last attack did not join them. There were four of them left. Kakashi had kept his left eye shut, not wanting to use his Sharingan against Itachi, but he opened his eye now, just in time to see Itachi moved in behind them.   
  
“Down!” Itachi flew over two of their heads. Itachi rebounded gracefully off a tree. They all recognized what he was doing when he put a hand to his mouth. They all dove to either side to avoid the Grand Fireball. Itachi was gone again, they all lost sight of him as they looked away from the fire.   
  
Kakashi swung around trying to spot him, but now there were several sources of chakra. Clones, very well made clones that had even amounts of chakra, impossible tell which was the real one.  
  
“He’s made three clones,” Kakashi warned.   
  
It was impossible for Kakashi to keep his eye on all four of them. One got behind him, he turned, but felt another get in behind him again. He turned and heard a whisper right behind his ear. “Kakashi.” Kakashi whirled and was kicked in the diagram. He fell, the wind knocked out of him. Itachi had taken out the one person who could follow his movements.  
  
Two of the others had their swords out. A fog filled the cramped area between trees. They all felt like the distance between them had lengthened. They grew scared and started taking steps backward, really increasing the distance between them. A leaf fell on one man’s head. He looked up. Itachi was standing on the branch above him, upside down, three shuriken in each hand. Itachi swooped on him. The others heard the man’s cry. Then silence.   
  
The captain heard movement and a thump and knew he was alone now in the fog with the fugitive Uchiha. He revolved, trying to catch sight of Itachi. Itachi pounced. The captain didn’t feel anything, but he heard the clang of weapons hitting. He turned to find Kakashi pushing Itachi’s kunai away with his sword. He’d gotten his wind back and found the Uchiha.   
  
Kakashi, perhaps unwisely, was staring through his mask into Itachi’s blazing Sharingan. He didn’t sense the clone attacking the captain from the side until it was too late. The two of them were alone. The fog lifted. They were still pressing their weapons against the other’s.   
  
“Please, Itachi, don’t do this,” Kakashi whispered over their crossed blades.  
  
“And what would you have me do?” Itachi whispered harshly.  
  
Two of the others came to their senses and approached. Itachi shifted and delivered a powerful kick, full of repelling chakra, to Kakashi’s ribs, sending Kakashi flying.  
  
Itachi smirked at the three of them and then his body broke apart into ravens which circled then flew off in all directions.   
  
Kakashi looked around with his Sharingan. Itachi was gone.  
  
They took stock of their teammates and found they were all alive. Kakashi sent a bird off with a request for a medical team.  
  
“Why didn’t he kill any of us? All of us?”  
  
“Because he knew that we would know he could,” Kakashi said, holding a hand to a broken rib. “He was laughing at us, showing us how superior he is to us.”  
  
“Do you recognize the cloak he had on?” the other man asked.  
  
“No. I would have thought he would keep the Uchiha fan. Maybe he’s abandoned it for those red clouds. We can’t move out until the medical team arrives.”  
  
“I’ll go see if there’s water around here.” He left Kakashi and other conscious man to watch over their injured comrades.   
  
Kakashi picked up one of the kunai they recovered from the trees. He tried to feel some remnant of Itachi in the cloth or metal, but there was nothing except the knowledge that Itachi had touched it.   
  
They heard a distance sound of something heavy hit the ground in the direction their comrade went. The other man went to investigate. He didn’t come back.   
  
Kakashi realized he was being baited. If he didn’t move, Itachi would probably approach. He was inclined to make Itachi come to him, but he stood, armed himself, and followed after the other two.   
  
He crept up as cautiously as he could with a broken rib. He found Itachi and his missing comrades. Itachi was staring into the man’s eyes, holding the man firmly in a genjutsu. He sensed Kakashi, looked at him, breaking the genjutsu, the ANBU dropping to the ground. Kakashi still wore his mask, but the brush of white hair gave him away.   
  
“What are you doing?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“How did you find me?”  
  
“Our captain received a message that you were in the area. If he knew more than that, he didn’t tell us.”  
  
“Humph.” Itachi casually reached into his pocket, so casually that Kakashi didn’t tense. He brought out the bird Kakashi had sent requesting a medical team. It looked dead. “I caught this. Yours?”  
  
Kakashi nodded. Itachi stroked the bird’s throat and it seemed to come back from the dead.  
  
“If I can’t learn anything for you, I have no reason to delay him.” Itachi made to release the bird.  
  
“Wait.” Itachi stopped. Kakashi wasn’t even sure why he said that. Itachi stared at him expectantly, but without impatience. “Are you sure they all are still unconscious?”  
  
Itachi looked back over Kakashi’s shoulder to check on the others. “All seven. None will wake up anytime soon.”  
  
“Itachi, can we pretend, just for an hour, that you haven’t changed?”  
  
Itachi’s eyes softened. Kakashi wasn’t sure he was really seeing that. “An hour,” Itachi stated the same hard voice, none of the old softness bleeding in. He looked down at the bird and stroked it again and it went back to sleep.  
  
Kakashi took his mask off and Itachi deactivated his Sharingan. Kakashi cautiously came closer and took Itachi’s smooth cheek in his hand and kissed him. Itachi didn’t taste like tea and dangos anymore. Kakashi almost wept at that. How things have change in one year. But he still kissed the same way.   
  
They were careful as they stripped because they were both aware of Kakashi’s broken rib. Itachi pressed Kakashi against a tree and slowly moved down his body. Even with all that consideration, Itachi licked at the discoloration causing the muscle to ripple and aggravate the bone. Itachi smirked at him before moving further down to take him into his mouth.   
  
Damn, in some ways Itachi never changed. Kakashi put a hand on his hair and Itachi pulled out the red tie to let Kakashi run his fingers through it. He coated Kakashi’s cock with as much saliva as he could then pulled away.   
  
He stood up and pressed his back against another tree. Kakashi took in the sight of Itachi’s beautiful aroused body before he approached him. When he did, he kissed him hard and grabbed Itachi under one knee and pulled his leg up to open him up and thrust into him. It hurt without any better lubrication, but Itachi didn’t protest. Kakashi made love to him while kissing and sucking at his neck. For a moment, Kakashi did forget what Itachi had done.  
  
“Harder, sempai,” Itachi groaned.  
  
The last year melted away. He kissed Itachi’s lips as he ignored his rib and thrust brutally into him. Kakashi cam first, but he was still hard.  
  
Itachi laid him down on the ground and sucked two fingers, coating them as he had Kakashi’s cock, then fingered his former lover. “Haven’t let anyone make love to you?”  
  
“No,” Kakashi said. “No one but you.”  
  
“Me too.”  
  
He removed his fingers and eased into him. It hurt them both, but he took it. Despite the hard ground, Kakashi felt like he was home with his lover again. He wanted Itachi so bad. It hurt to lift his hips to meet Itachi’s thrusts, but he did.   
  
“Damn it, Itachi, I love you so much.” He had a year of emotional turmoil and pent up sexual frustration in him. Itachi was already close and he grabbed Kakashi’s cock and jerked it as he fucked him. He held his own orgasm back until Kakashi tightened up around him and cam. They cam together, both crying out. Itachi collapsed next to Kakashi on the forest floor.  
  
Kakashi pulled Itachi to him to spoon him. “I still love you, my little raven.”  
  
Itachi said nothing. Kakashi couldn’t see the pain in Itachi’s face. _I love you, Kakashi. I’m sorry._  
  
Itachi let him enjoy the situation for another ten minutes before getting up. He began dressing.  
  
“It would be better to forget me, Kakashi. We’re enemies now. Pining for me is unhealthy and dangerous. I won’t hold back again when we fight next.”  
  
“I can’t forget you.”  
  
“I can fix that,” Itachi said as he turned around to face his lover, still lying on the ground, with his Sharingan activated.   
  
Kakashi shut his eyes and put up his hand to give him another shield. “No, Itachi. I don’t want to forget you. I love you. I want those memories.”  
  
“You won’t miss them.”  
  
“No.” Kakashi opened his eyes. “Itachi, tell me one thing: why you did what you did, was it my fault?”  
  
Itachi’s eyes looked more human than they had even since just before the slaughter of the Uchiha clan. They were wider and had an emotion: confusion.  
  
“No. You actually helped me keep some sanity during those last few weeks. Or maybe our time together was time I spent outside my mind, away from what I—” Itachi paused. “I never said goodbye properly.” Itachi woke the messenger bird and released it. “Goodbye, Kakashi.”  
  
And he was gone. The next time they would meet would be after the Third’s death; confirmed enemies.


	8. Four Years Later

Kakashi was heartbroken when he saw the files of the children he was being given for a genin team. Uchiha Sasuke. Itachi’s precious little brother. He didn’t really look a lot like Itachi, not to someone who knew Itachi as well as Kakashi did, but there was a similarity. Kakashi shoved that aside and did his best with this trio.   
  
Of course, the Hokage had chosen to give him another heartache: Naruto. His yellow hair and blue eyes reminded Kakashi of his long-dead sensei. Luckily, he had no association with Sakura beyond the fact his team as a whole reminded him of Team Minato.   
  
And Sasuke hated his brother. Kakashi could understand that, but at the same time it hurt to hear. He trained him as well as he could, even teaching him the Chidori. He was growing attached to him. He was like a son to him. He would do anything to protect him. Even from Itachi.  
  
\-----  
  
It might have been fate that Kakashi chose to meet Sasuke at the exact same time and place Itachi and Kisame were having tea, but Kakashi was certain that Itachi had gone to where Kakashi was. He sensed his lover so close to him, but he could do nothing. Then Asuma and Kurenai arrived. Then Sasuke. All four of them were aware of danger when Itachi and Kisame vanished. Kakashi sent Asuma and Kurenai after them.  
  
“Sasuke, we’ll have to postpone. Come find me later.”  
  
Kakashi watched the battle between the two pairs for a minute. Itachi was beautiful and elegant. Even his kick to Kurenai’s stomach was lovely. His love for the young rogue gripped his heart. He made a clone and flew down to defend his comrades. One countered Kisame’s jutsu, the other went to stop Itachi from killing Kurenai.  
  
Kakashi’s heart stopped when Itachi turned to look at him and their Sharingans met. Their eyes gave nothing away, but inside Kakashi wondered for the thousandth time what Itachi saw in him, why did he accept his friendship and love, why did he love him? He should have chosen someone with unearthly beauty to match his own. None of those thoughts made it to the surface.  
  
Kakashi bluffed to Kisame in front of his comrades that he didn’t know who was at that teahouse, but he had. Really, he should have attack if he suspected Itachi was near.  
  
Then Itachi surprised them all.  
  
Kisame and Kakashi’s clone squared off, but then came Itachi’s soft voice. “Stop, Kisame.” All attention focused on him. “If you fight with him you’ll take too long and others will arrive. Don’t forget our mission; we didn’t come here to get injured.”  
  
Kakashi dispelled his clone. “So what would this mission be?” Kakashi asked.  
  
“We’re looking for something.”  
  
Kakashi was certain if anyone else asked that question Itachi would never have deigned to answer.  
  
“Looking for something?” Kakashi’s thoughts went to Sasuke. “What are you looking for?”  
  
“Unlike Kisame, I won’t waste time.”  
  
Even against his lover, Kakashi’s Sharingan was a blessing. He didn’t fall for Itachi’s feint of pulling out shuriken; he brought up a water shield to defend against Itachi’s attack. But then Itachi was suddenly behind him, stabbing him with a kunai. Or rather, stabbing his water clone he’d made in the momentary chaos of the clashing water jutsu. He swan under the water to Kurenai to save her from the clone of Itachi which exploded as he whisked her out of danger, get a little damage as he did so.  
  
“Never let your guard down,” Kakashi warned the pair as Asume joined them. “He became an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen. You’ve not seen his true strength yet.”  
  
“I’m impressed at how well you can use that eye without our blood. But without it, your eye cannot reach its full potential.” Itachi shut his eyes. “Why is the Uchiha Clan known as the most powerful? I’ll let you experience a taste of the Sharingan’s true power.”  
  
Kakashi watched Itachi open his eyes and saw something other than the normal Sharingan. He’d never seen it before, but he knew from conversations with Itachi what this was. The Mangekyo.  
  
“Both of you shut your eyes and do not open them under any circumstances.” The others shut their eyes. “If you look him in the eyes, you’re dead. Only another Sharingan can open to counter this technique.”  
  
Itachi smirked briefly as if to say, _So you remember everything I told you._  
  
“That is correct. Another Sharingan can resist it, but this is Tsukuyomi, only another Sharingan user of my blood could possibly defeat me.”  
  
 _Sasuke,_ Kakashi thought. As much as he loved Itachi, he would protect Sasuke.  
  
He was now inside Itachi’s world. Crucified in the middle of a nightmare world, surrounded by an army of Itachis.  
  
“Within the realm of Tsukuyomi, time, space, everything is under my control. For the next seventy-two hours, I will stab you continually with these swords.”  
  
There was no hesitation or remorse in these shadows of Itachi impaling him with swords for three days. He stared at that face and hardly felt a thing after a while. Itachi wasn’t here with him, he _knew_ that, he didn’t believe Itachi could do this to him. It was just a genjutsu; Itachi had merely created the illusion, he wasn’t in it. But Kakashi could stare at that face he loved so much. But he felt the pain when he returned to the real world only a moment later in real time.  
  
Kakashi felt to a knee, panting from the pain.  
  
“Kakashi! Are you alright?” Asume shouted. “He was talking then you collapsed.”  
  
“Don’t . . . open . . . your eyes.” He knew why Itachi didn’t kill him, but part of him wished he had.  
  
“He he, that jutsu is for breaking down a person’s spirit, isn’t it?” Kisame asked as he came to stand next to his partner. “I’m surprised he’s still alive. However, Itachi-san, you should be careful with it since that one is dangerous to you as well.”  
  
That’s when Kakashi saw it: Itachi was in pain. Kisame was right, it cost Itachi to use that jutsu.  
  
“You’re looking for Sasuke?” Kakashi asked.  
  
Itachi’s eyes narrowed for a moment. “No. We’re looking for the Yondamie’s legacy.”  
  
“The Kyuubi inside of Naruto? You’re both members of an organization called Akatsuki, right?”  
  
“Akatsuki?” Asuma asked.  
  
Itachi’s mask was firmly back in place, his voice completely without emotion. “Kisame. We’re taking Kakashi with us. Kill the others.”  
  
Kakashi’s heart leaped. For a moment he didn’t care that Asuma and Kurenai were about to die, he was going with Itachi. Kisame attacked. But then Gai had to go and fuck everything up.  
  
Kakashi heard nothing else. His hopes were dashed. He fainted.  
  
\-----  
  
He woke up about two weeks later, woken by Tsunade, the new Hokage. And Sasuke had been in the same state, put there by Itachi. He went to Sasuke’s room on his way out of the hospital. They made eye contact, but that was all. They both knew what happened to the other, there was nothing to say. Kakashi went home. Even before he was healed, he was assigned a mission.  
  
 _Better let the kids know. Sakura will be with Sasuke in the hospital._  
  
He got ready and headed for the hospital.  
  
His timing was impeccable, though one might argue late as always. He couldn’t prevent the fight between Naruto and Sasuke, but he stopped it from becoming lethal.   
  
_Itachi. Do you know what you’ve done to him?_  
  
He calmed Sakura and went after his lover’s brother. But it wasn’t enough with Orochimaru’s men waiting in the wings.  
  
When he learned that Sasuke was gone and found Naruto half dead, he felt like he lost Itachi again. Sasuke wasn’t his brother, but he was a link to him.   
  
He didn’t see Itachi for years afterward and he was glad because he was sure Itachi would kill him for losing Sasuke to Orochimaru.


	9. Another Three Years

Kakashi knew when they heard Akatsuki had captured Gaara there was a chance he’d be forced to fight Itachi again. He called up all his resolve; he would fight him and kill him if necessary, but he really didn’t want to.  
  
He was relieved when he found out it was Sasori of the Red Sands and a blond bomber, not Itachi and his blue-skinned partner. He gladly sent out his hounds and chased after the Kazekage with Naruto, Sakura, and Chiyo in tow. He let his guard down.  
  
Suddenly, there in front of them, was Itachi. _Oh, fuck me,_ Kakashi thought. The fates are sadistic bitches [AN: yeah, that’s me ^_^]. And he _hated_ that damn cloak. It was overlarge and destroyed any definition of Itachi’s body. That was probably the point to hide subtle movements. Kakashi was sure he could slither under that cloak with him and no one would know.   
  
“It’s been a while Kakashi-san, Naruto-kun.”  
  
So unlike his brother. Even now, so polite. Itachi was twenty-one now and growing more lovely with every year.   
  
Somehow it didn’t feel like a betrayal to give his analysis of Itachi’s jutsu to the others, especially since he did it within Itachi’s hearing. But really, what was Itachi waiting for? He could have killed them all before Kakashi said anything to the others. They were just jerking each other off at this point. Metaphorically speaking.   
  
Kakashi’s tone changed as he raised his headband. “Itachi, just how far has your eyesight deteriorated?”   
  
Itachi was surprised enough to break through that mask of emotionlessness. He looked down. His toned changed as well.  
  
“Kakashi-san, impossible, you . . .”  
  
More for his team’s benefit, Kakashi said, “Last time I was unprepared; this won’t go the same way it did last time.” He asked Naruto to cover him.  
  
“I’ll kindly ask for you to come with me, Naruto-kun,” Itachi said as he raised a finger to point at the blond.   
  
Kakashi and Naruto attacked. Or so Kakashi thought. He realized he was leaping toward Itachi alone. Their kunai touched, Itachi countering Kakashi’s weight and momentum masterfully, repealing Kakashi as he used Kakashi’s momentum to gain a little more distance from Kakashi and his team.  
  
Sakura and Chiyo woke Naruto from Itachi’s genjutsu. Kakashi and Naruto railed, but before they could attack, Itachi used the Uchiha’s favorite technique: the Grand Fireball. Naruto and the kunoichi dodged, but Kakashi used the momentary blind spot caused by the fireball to dive into the ground. Itachi saw the hole Kakashi’s descent caused in enough time to dodge the uppercut from underground. Itachi grabbed his arm and aimed his fist for a knockout blow, but when battling another Sharingan, such blatant moves would never work; Kakashi ducked his head out of the way. Instead, Itachi grabbed Kakashi’s shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. Something felt off to Kakashi. That wasn’t Itachi’s scent.  
  
Within Itachi’s illusionary realm the shadow clone was paper. Itachi set him on fire out of spite.   
  
“Impressive, sempai. Your use of jutsu is still as excellent as I remember. You hid yourself behind the fireball so it took me a while to notice.”  
  
Even being a shadow clone, Kakashi gazed at Itachi’s lovely features. He’d called him ‘sempai.’ Was he being sincere or trying to hurt him?  
  
The clone gripped Itachi tighter in the real world.  
  
“That explains why my genjutsu didn’t work. You’re a shadow clone.”  
  
“Hit him and my clone together, Naruto!” Kakashi called from the original hole in the ground.   
  
Was that surprise on Itachi’s face? Fuck, he was beautiful. _Forgive me, Itachi, but you really leave me no choice._  
  
Naruto and his clone flew out from the trees with a Giant Rasengan, hitting Itachi squarely in the chest. But Kakashi noticed something with his Sharingan that Naruto saw as well. Blood coming from Itachi’s softly smiling lips.  
  
They gathered around the body.   
  
“Guh . . .”   
  
“Th . . . this is . . .”  
  
“Their . . . jutsu of some kind . . .”  
  
Everyone else was struck stupid by the sight of the corpse in front of them. But Kakashi . . . “I sensed something off while fighting him.”  
  
Laying before them was a spy that Itachi was able to possess and use like his own body.  
  
“Did he change into Itachi using a transformation jutsu?” Naruto asked.  
  
“No. This isn’t that low level of jutsu. The Grand Fireball was created and used often by the Uchiha. That was the real thing. This was just a delaying tactic. I’m not even sure if he was trying to kill us. He just wanted to stall us. The real Itachi is probably in their hideout.”  
  
 _I’ll see you soon, Itachi-kun._  
  
\-----  
  
Of course Itachi was not with Sasori, Deadera, and Gaara. Kakashi preferred it that way.  
  
It wasn’t long after Team Kakashi’s mission to rescue Gaara that Kakashi saw Itachi again. He was out in the forest training by himself, as he preferred. He’d left Naruto to Yamato, getting too stiff standing around overseeing Naruto make clone after dozen clones attempting to learn how to use elemental chakra.   
  
Kakashi felt a prickling feeling in his spine as he moved through the trees. He leaped up to a higher branch and scanned the area. Nothing. But he was certain there was someone out there. He pushed his headband up and rescanned the area with his Sharingan.  
  
Just as he was turning, someone grabbed his wrist, pushing it into his back, and thrust a kunai just under his chin. When he inhaled, he recognized that scent.  
  
“Itachi?”  
  
Itachi leaned his head against Kakashi’s. “You would have attacked me,” he stated in an utterly flat voice. It was chilling for Kakashi to hear. Itachi retracted the kunai, but held onto his wrist. “You really tried to kill me that time,” Itachi said, referring to their meeting during this mission to rescue Gaara.  
  
“You tried to use your Mangekyo on me. Again.”  
  
“No, not the Mangekyo. I was just going to put you to sleep for an hour.”  
  
“Because you didn’t have the chakra?”  
  
“Don’t be cynical. If I had really wanted to kill, I would have. I had Naruto so firmly under genjutsu I could have easily had him attack you from behind believing you to be me. I was just trying to delay you.”  
  
“Why are you here, Itachi?”  
  
“I needed to see you.”  
  
“Finally going to tell me the truth?” _Or just a fuck?_ he thought sadly.  
  
“What truth?”  
  
“What really happened that night?”  
  
“Sasuke’s statement was the truth.”  
  
“I can’t believe that.”  
  
Itachi’s voice was suddenly sad. “It is, Sempai.”  
  
“Why are you here?”  
  
“I’m so tired, Kakashi. I thought I was finally . . . not getting over you, but it wasn’t hurting as much anymore. Then I saw you again. It hurts. I’m aching just to be near you, Sempai.” Itachi pressed against Kakashi’s back, rubbing his cheek against his shoulder.  
  
Itachi let Kakashi go and Kakashi turned around slowly to embrace Itachi. “I don’t care about what you did. I do resent you for what you did to Sasuke three years ago, but nothing else matters. I love you.”  
  
“I love you, Sempai. Just let me stay here for a while.”  
  
Itachi just felt so right in his arms. Kakashi leaned back a little and pulled his mask down to kiss the side of Itachi’s eye. “Oh, Itachi, I want to keep you here. You’re too thin, baby.”  
  
“That’s to be expected. But you’re awfully thin too, Sempai.”  
  
“That’s to be expected.”  
  
“Fuck you, Kakashi.”  
  
“Is that an offer?”  
  
“Damn, I’ve missed you.”  
  
“Let’s get out of this tree.” Kakashi tightened his grip on Itachi and fell backward, landing on his feet with Itachi’s comfortably in his arms. “I want to take you home.”  
  
“Under the circumstances I consider that a death threat.”  
  
Kakashi couldn’t take the banter anymore; he kissed Itachi hard. He didn’t want this to be just about sex, but what did they have to talk about? What else was there for them really? And he did love Itachi’s body. He’d not have sex with anyone else all this time. Is it any wonder he enjoyed erotic novels?   
  
They started tearing at each other’s clothes. Itachi pushed him to the ground. “I hate this, Itachi. I hate the fact the last time and this time has been on a forest floor. I want so much more for you, Itachi.”  
  
“The way I’ve lived since I left has been like this. Beds are rare for Akatsuki. We get to inns rarely.”  
  
“You deserve so much more.” He kissed Itachi’s throat.  
  
“Don’t tell me that, Kakashi. You always had the ability to make me cry. I don’t want to cry.”  
  
“I hate making you cry, but I love you so much.”  
  
“I know it. And I love you too. Never doubt that.” Itachi snaked a hand down Kakashi’s body to stroke Kakashi’s cock as he kissed him again. Itachi was positioned in such a way that it was difficult for Kakashi to return the favor. Rather, Kakashi stroke Itachi’s arm gently, the skin just as smooth and soft as ever.  
  
When Itachi pulled away for breath, Kakashi said, “You have wonderful technique for someone’s who been abstinent for a few years.”  
  
“It’s the way I touch myself when thinking about you. I’m rarely outside of Kisame’s company and there’s nothing between us. He’s straight and knows better than to think of me as a woman. He’s wanted to though.” Itachi was still stroking him as he spoke.   
  
“I’ve never thought of you that way, not even when admiring your hair.”  
  
Itachi smiled and moved to assist his hand with his mouth, taking the head in his mouth and tasting the welling precum before doing his best to tongue-fuck Kakashi’s cock while he pumped the shaft with his hand. After a little bit of teasing, Itachi let his hand take over on Kakashi’s cock again and dipped his head lower to mouth his scrotum.   
  
“Itachi,” Kakashi pleaded.  
  
“All I’ve got is saliva for lube,” Itachi said.  
  
Kakashi performed a jutsu to make syrupy fluid in his mouth. He pulled Itachi fingers to his mouth to coat them. Itachi got a mischievous look in his eye and moved up to straddle Kakashi’s chest and present his cock to him. He slipped his cock into Kakashi’s mouth to coat it that way. He pulled out and dipped his fingers in Kakashi’s mouth again and then used his fingers to open Kakashi’s body.   
  
“Still no one else?”  
  
Kakashi spit out the remnants of the syrup. “Never.”  
  
Itachi looked somewhere between sad and exasperated. He eased into his lover’s tight body. Kakashi hardly felt the pain, too happy to see and feel his lover. He was glad Itachi’s eyes were black and not red. Itachi stayed upright as started to move within him.  
  
Kakashi appreciated the view, loving how lithe Itachi’s body still was. He wanted to touch him, but he was out of reach. Story of their relationship really. Itachi was watching him too. Itachi hadn’t fallen in love with Kakashi’s face, but he really was beautiful. He even loved that scar through his left eye. Kakashi saw that love in Itachi’s eyes before Itachi shut his eyes and threw his head back.   
  
Itachi had to grab one of Kakashi’s upraised knees to steady himself as he desperately moved his cock into Kakashi’s tight tunnel. They cam at the same time.   
  
Itachi braced himself with his arms over Kakashi. After they recovered a little, Kakashi reached up to play his fingers in Itachi’s long hair.   
  
“I love your hair. You’re so beautiful.”  
  
“So are you. I don’t think I ever told you how attractive you are. Even if you looked like Kisame, I’d still love you. Up for a second round? I want you to make love to me.”  
  
“Give me a second. Just cuddle up with me for a minute.”  
  
Itachi was happy to comply. Just holding Itachi to him was bliss. He wished he would die in this moment so that he never had to face losing Itachi again and—though it was cliché—he could die happy right now.   
  
Kakashi remembered Sasuke. “You’re not angry with me? About losing Sasuke?”  
  
“No. That was my fault. I should have known better. Orochimaru attacked me first while we were in Akatsuki. I cut off his arm. I knew he’d go for Sasuke. I know I pushed him beyond your influence. I the one who’s sorry. I took him from you.”  
  
“Yeah, that was too much, Itachi. He and I were in the hospital for weeks. The first thing he did when woke up was challenge Naruto to fight that could have killed them both. I could have done more. I’m sorry too.”  
  
“Sasuke’s his own man now. He’ll deal with Orochimaru. Don’t worry about that. It’s once he defeats Orochimaru that you have to begin to worry.”  
  
The cool, invigorating breeze was doing nothing to bring back Kakashi’s erection. He turned over onto Itachi and kissed him again. He pulled back to create and spit that syrupy liquid onto his cock and hand. Itachi gasped and moaned like he used to as Kakashi entered him. Kakashi made love to him slowly, in no rush after their first orgasms.  
  
They both sensed someone approaching. Kakashi pulled away and Itachi transformed into a woman and hid his face and breasts behind his hands and pulled his thighs up to hide his—or rather her—genitalia. Kakashi looked over his shoulder, also hiding his face. A fellow Konoha shinobi appeared.   
  
“Oh,” the man stopped dead. “Sorry, Kakashi-san.” He backpedaled away.  
  
Itachi couldn’t help but laugh a little. He let the transformation drop. Kakashi looked back at him, amazed as Itachi’s giggles turned into a hearty laugh.  
  
“It’s been eight years since I heard you laugh or seen you really smile.”  
  
“It’s been eight years since I really laughed or smiled.”  
  
Kakashi kissed him, unable to bare the sad look that had overcome Itachi smile. He pulled only an inch away.  
  
“Leave Akatsuki,” Kakashi said. “Go into hiding where I can come see you. There’s no reason to go on with any of this. I love you too damn much.”  
  
Itachi’s fingers played in Kakashi’s hair. “Sempai . . . I can’t. I’m . . . going to die, Sempai. I will meet Sasuke and I’ll fight him.” Itachi gave a small smile. “He’s become very powerful. He will win. Maybe both of our pain will end then. Don’t resent him. Bring him home. You love him too, don’t you? He’s your student after all.”  
  
“Like a son.”  
  
“Bring him home as soon as he kills me. Once I’m dead, he’ll be lost and easily manipulated. You must bring him home. You and Naruto can bring him home.”  
  
“Itachi . . .” Kakashi knew there was no changing Itachi’s mind about this, knew this was the only way to save Sasuke. He nodded. “I’ll bring him home.” He kissed Itachi again, as deeply as he could, hoping it conveyed how much he loved the elder Uchiha. His lips trailed down to Itachi’s supple throat. This was probably the last time. His hands memorized every rib and muscle as they caressed the younger man’s body. When his hands came to Itachi’s bony hips, he reentered him. Itachi’s gasp was of pleasure.   
  
“Sempai,” he sighed.  
  
Kakashi kept his body close to Itachi’s as he slowly made love to him. More than anything, he wanted Itachi to know that his love was genuine, that it wasn’t about fucking him, it was true love. But Itachi knew that or he wouldn’t be here now. It was a long time before they both cam. Again they just lay next to each other afterward, enjoying the other’s presence.  
  
Itachi sat up and started to stand, Kakashi sat up.  
  
“Do you have to leave?”  
  
Itachi momentarily aborted his attempt to get up. “Kisame is expecting me to return.”  
  
Kakashi grabbed Itachi tightly before he could stand, pulling him into his chest. “I’m not letting you go. You’re never leaving again.”  
  
“I wish.” Itachi didn’t really resist, but he pulled his head away from Kakashi’s shoulder. “Please, please let me make you forget me. I don’t want you to suffer. Like I do.”  
  
“Never. Anyway, you need someone in this life to mourn you.”  
  
“I know how much Sasuke loved me. He may be relieved, but he’s also going to be in a lot of pain. Take care of him?”  
  
“I will Itachi, I promise I will.”  
  
“I should go. Thank you for everything, Kakashi.”  
  
Kakashi held Itachi with all his strength. “You’re not leaving.”  
  
Itachi pressed himself even closer to Kakashi. “I love you so much. I’m sorry.” Itachi moved his lips to Kakashi’s neck and bit down. Kakashi collapsed, paralyzed. “I have no choice, Kakashi. I want you to fall in love with someone else. If I had known the pain it would cause us both—you most of all—I never would have fallen in love with you. Find happiness with someone else.” Itachi dressed quickly. “Goodbye, sempai.” He pinched Kakashi’s neck and vanished.   
  
Kakashi was slow to get up. He sat there naked looking at the place on the ground where they’d had sex. Finally, he dressed. He had to get back to Naruto.


	10. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loosy-goosy time with the canon. It’s part of the reason I’ve been delinquent on this story, but I’m just going to wing it. I hope this chapter/ending doesn’t disappoint. This is the end. Sorry for the wait. Thank you all who have suffered the delays and enjoyed this story.
> 
> Btw, jumping the shark? I think Naruto’s finally done it. I will continue to read it, but it took a hard left turn with ****** stabbing ****** and turning out to be ******.

Kakashi was sort of glad Itachi’s body was not there. If it had been there would be no way he could have stopped his breakdown. His tears mixed with the rain, but if Itachi’s body had been laying there, he would have taken it into his arms and wept; fuck the others. Itachi was dead. The only person he ever truly loved was dead.

\-----

On the roof of the inn in the Country of Iron, Kakashi stood frozen listening to the man in the orange mask shatter his world. Tobi’s words squeezed his heart. Itachi hadn’t done it out of maliciousness or caprice. _That little fool._ He wanted to kill Tobi right there out of grief and anger, but he needed him to find Sasuke. Of course Tobi wouldn’t be held and he vanished.

After that Kakashi loathed any time alone, any time to think. His heart was in turmoil. He _knew_ Itachi wouldn’t have killed his clan on a whim. Everything made sense, but it didn’t make it hurt less.

And he failed to find Sasuke in time to save him from the bad influence Itachi had warned him about. Sasuke slipped through his fingers. Sasuke had been twisted. He looked crazed. Driven insane by grief and rage. Kakashi couldn’t blame him.

It was all enough to shake Kakashi’s faith in his village. Tobi had said that Sasuke’s life weighed more to Itachi than the entire village; Kakashi felt the same way about Itachi, especially now.

Becoming a general in the Shinobi Alliance made him feel better since he was constantly busy, but his last thoughts before he slept was of Itachi. He was immensely glad he never saw Itachi’s corpse.

And then, he realized when he saw Zabuza and Haku that it was possible that his lover was among these undead. He was more furious than hopeful. He had to know if Itachi was out there. But he had his duty. An undead Itachi would only break his heart again. Itachi would be forced to attack and Kakashi would have to fight him. Best to leave the dead buried, metaphorically speaking. It was best to end this war and send the dead back.

Then, the dead vanished. Kakashi’s heart sank a little, but it didn’t break. Itachi was well and truly dead and he would never see him again.

\-----

The battle against the undead Madara and Obito was hard fought, but the two of them were finally defeated. Kakashi thought he might have to deal with a ghost, but Obito was not the one he expected.

Now what of Sasuke?

Naruto, as tired as he was, was as concerned as Kakashi about Sasuke. If he was indeed seeking revenge on Konoha, then they had to find him and stop him. Naruto used his sage ability to recharge his chakra and search for Sasuke. As they ran through the forest, Naruto told Kakashi about meeting Itachi. Kakashi was proud of his lover even though escaping Kabuto’s control was more out of luck than anything. But he definitely succeeded in defeating Kabuto.

“Found him,” Naruto said. “Itachi’s with him.”

“What?”

His heart was thumping so hard he could hear it clearly and he thought it would break his sternum. Both of them together? Could everything end so well? Could he have his student and his lover back?

Kakashi would have been running even faster if he didn’t have to follow Naruto, but Naruto was racing to see Sasuke. By the time they arrived, Kakashi’s legs hurt worse than they ever had in his life, his lungs were on fire and his sides hurt, but that was nothing to excitement that exploded in his chest.

Itachi was knelling next to his brother who was unconscious on the ground. Naruto ran to Sasuke’s other side. Kakashi approached more slowly as if walking to him too quickly would make the mirage of his lover dissolve. Itachi only had eyes for his brother at the moment.

Naruto was calling Sasuke’s name trying to wake him.

“He’s alive, Naruto-kun, just worn out,” Itachi said. “We fought Kabuto together and Sasuke used up far too much chakra.” He finally realized Kakashi was there. He whirled and had a stricken look on his face. His eyes were wrong. They both had black sclera, the right had the Sharingan, but the left iris was pure white. Itachi turned back to Naruto. “Stay with him. Call me the moment he wakes up. I need to speak with Kakashi-san.”

“Okay.”

Even with losing the sight in one eye, Itachi gracefully led Kakashi out of normal earshot in the trees out of Naruto’s sight. The moment he felt they were hidden, Itachi flung himself into Kakashi’s chest and cried. Kakashi held him. Then he realized, Itachi wasn’t breathing. He was sort of making a sobbing sound, but his chest wasn’t moving and his shirt wasn’t getting wet.

“I can’t even cry,” Itachi wailed. He was shaking with frustration. If he could he’d being crying hysterically.

Kakashi got a firm grip on Itachi’s upper arms and shook him to focus his attention on him. “Listen to me.” Itachi finally stopped struggling and looked Kakashi in the eye. “You can feel me, right?”

“Yes.”

“You love Sasuke and I, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then everything is fine.”

“I . . .” He tried to sob.

“Shhh. The war is over. Come home.”

“I shouldn’t be here. I’m dead.”

“How are you still here? The rest of the Edo Tensei shinobi are gone.”

“Sasuke begged me to stay, said he would attack Konoha, make them pay for what happened to me, then kill himself. I couldn’t let that happen. Kabuto is still alive; I forced him to release everyone but me.”

Kakashi caressed his cheek. “I know the truth. Tobi,” it was the only name he could bring himself to use, “told Naruto, Tenzou, and I. I know Sasuke knows too. Come home with us. Sasuke’s an emotional teenager; at least stay long enough to help him understand and coupe with what you and the village did. And let me love you until then.”

“I’ve only been dead for a month or two, but the world has already changed so much. I feel left behind. I don’t belong in this world.”

“You’ve been given the chance a billion people wish they could have. You may feel left behind or damned or fortunate, but you should take it and take full advantage of it. For your brother’s sake if for no other reason. Allow the two of us to let you go slowly.”

Kakashi saw he wasn’t getting anywhere.

“Do remember anything of death?”

“No. I was with Sasuke after our fight and then I woke up in front of Kabuto.”

“I died too. When Pain attacked Konoha, I died. I met my father. He was in limbo, waiting for me. I told him I forgave him and understood his decision. He said he could finally move on to see my mother. There is a limbo, a purgatory. Perhaps suffering through a little more life is what will allow you to go straight to wherever my father went.”

“If I remain, everyone will want their loved ones back. They will hate me and the two of you because I’m the only one who came back and stayed.”

“We’ll hide you then.”

Itachi scoffed. “What if this is the test? I should be selfless and return to the land of the dead.”

“No, being selfless right now sounds like remaining. Just until Sasuke calms down. I did already give you up for dead. I accepted it as hard as it was. I can do it again. But Sasuke freaked when he learned the truth. Stay and guide him.”

Itachi sighed, a purely muscular action since he didn’t breathe. “What if Sasuke will only remain tamed while I’m here? I can’t stay forever and please don’t ask me to stay to watch my brother grow old and die.”

“Give us a year at least. Please, stay, just for a little while.”

“Kabuto may wake up. When he does, he may decide to release me. I won’t stop him.”

“Agreed. Let’s get back to your brother before he wakes up and freaks out because you’re not there.”

They returned to Sasuke’s side. Sakura had followed, but hadn’t been able to keep up with her teammates. She was startled by the situation, but set about healing everyone except Itachi who didn’t need it. They were all too worn out to leave the area, so they went back into the cave where Kabuto stood. They all slept while Itachi kept watch.

Kabuto woke up, much to Itachi’s surprise.

“Have you remembered who you are?” Itachi asked.

“I have. How is Sasuke?”

“Exhausted.”

“And the war?”

“I ended the Edo Tensei on everyone but myself. Naruto and the others defeated Madara. I’ve remained for Sasuke’s sake. And Kakashi wouldn’t let me leave. I promised to stay and guide Sasuke until you woke up and decide to release me. I could leave now with a clear conscience if you decided to release me, but I think they will need my help to convince Sasuke not seek any further revenge. So please, allow me to stay among the living a little longer.”

“I know for the first time in my life who I really am. I’m in your debt. I want to go home to the orphanage I was in before I was turned into a spy. When you’re ready to be released, let me know.”

“Flee. I don’t think anyone here will attack you, but others will.”

“Thank you, Itachi.” Kabuto kept his sage mode to sense any approaching chakra and fled in the direction of his former home.

“As evil as you tried to make us all think you were, you really are incredibly kind,” Kakashi whispered.

“I really wish no one harm. I recognized much of myself in Kabuto. I’m glad I could help him.”

Kakashi sat up and looked to make sure his three students were still asleep. He moved to sit next to Itachi. “I’m pleased you’re staying.”

Kakashi kissed him. His mouth was dry; no saliva. He realized Itachi had no scent, no body heat.

Itachi shook off his lips. “At my core is a corpse.”

Kakashi gave him a weak smile. “I don’t smell anything.”

Itachi stifled a laugh.

“We don’t have to have sex, I just want to be around you. I really love you.”

“I love you too, Kakashi.”

\-----

Because Sasuke deserted the village, Tsunade agreed he should be kept under Kakashi’s supervision. They snuck Itachi in and the three of them lived in Kakashi’s newly built house.

It took a lot of convincing, but Sasuke finally calmed down and accepted his brother’s way of thinking. Just being around his beloved brother again changed him. Sasuke had been angry to find out about Kakashi’s relationship with his brother, but Itachi placated him and Kakashi had to explain the many reasons why he never told Sasuke about knowing Itachi at all.

Nearly three years later, Itachi announced he was going to leave, find Kabuto, and return to the land of dead. Sasuke was ready to think about starting a family and moving out of Kakashi’s home. Itachi wanted to see his nieces and nephews, but if he did, he’d get too attached to leave, so he decided now was the time.

“Take care of Sasuke,” Itachi asked Kakashi as the three of them stood outside the village gates, out of sight in the woods.

“I will.”

“And move on.”

“Can’t promise that.”

“I do still regret our relationship because of the pain it put us both through, but I’m still glad we had it. Take care, sempai.”

“Goodbye, Itachi.” Kakashi gave him one last hug.

Kakashi stepped back and let Sasuke have a few last minutes with his brother. Somehow, it just felt like Itachi was leaving on a journey and not dying again. Being able to say goodbye like this helped. Kakashi didn’t even cry.

Sasuke was though. Kakashi smiled softly at the brotherly display of affection. Itachi ended their conversation with a gentle poke to Sasuke’s forehead.

“This really is the last time, Sasuke. Know that no matter what, I will always love you. Make us all proud and restore the Uchiha name.”

“I will.”

Itachi pulled him into a hug and then kissed the spot he poked. He dropped his voice into a whisper that Kakashi couldn’t hear. “And never let Kakashi buy you dangos.”

Itachi then leapt into the trees and out of sight.


End file.
